Easy Yummy Sugar Pie

Easy yummy sugar pie is a Depression-era dessert that punches well above its three-ingredient weight. Sweetened condensed milk, corn syrup, and vanilla cook down into a glossy, golden filling that bakes up with a slightly chewy top and a soft, caramel-like center. A scattering of chopped nuts on top toasts up during the bake and gives every bite a buttery crunch.

The key is reading the ingredients carefully. The note in the directions says to use Eagle Brand, which is sweetened condensed milk, not plain evaporated milk. Don’t mix the two up. Sweetened condensed milk has the sugar built in and gives the filling its dense, fudgy character. Plain evaporated milk would leave you with a runny mess.

Cooking the filling on the stovetop until it thickens before pouring it into the shell sets you up for a clean bake. Pour it cold into the crust and you’ll wait forever for it to set, often with a soggy bottom for your trouble.

The two-temperature bake matters. The blast at 425°F (220°C) sears the bottom crust and the lower 350°F (175°C) finish gives the filling time to set without scorching the top.

Pro Tips

• Use pecans or walnuts for the topping. Both toast beautifully in the oven heat.
• Watch the pie closely after the first 30 minutes at the lower temperature. If the top browns faster than you’d like, tent loosely with foil.
• Cool completely before slicing for clean wedges. The filling firms up significantly as it cools.
• A dollop of unsweetened whipped cream cuts through the rich filling beautifully.

Variations

• Stir a tablespoon of bourbon into the cooled filling before pouring for a grown-up edge.
• Sprinkle flaky sea salt on top right after baking for a salted-caramel pie effect.
• Use walnuts and add a half teaspoon of cinnamon to the filling for a warmer flavor profile.